Rural mail-box.



No. 741,865. PATENTED OCT, 20, 1903.-4

B. B. WILLIAMS;

RURAL MAIL BOX( urmoulos Hum 1120.1. 1902.

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Patented October 20, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica BENJAMIN B. WILLIAMS, ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

VRURAL MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,865, dated October 20, 1903.

Application filed December l, 1902. Serial No. 133,424. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMINB. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian,county of Lenawee,State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rural Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in a rural mail-box; and it consists of the construction,l combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a View in vertical longitudinal section on the line 2 2, Fig. l.

My invention has in view a rural mail-box of superior simplicity, economy, and utility.

I carry out my invention as follows:

In the drawings, a represents the body of the box, provided with a cover b, hinged thereto in any suitable manner. The bottom of the box is indicated at c, the bottom being made separate from the body ofthe box and preferably with upturned lateral and end fianges. The bottom is pivoted intermediate its ends to the body ofl the box, as indicated at d, so as to oscillate longitudinally to afford access to the mail. Toward the top of the body of the box are two inside leaves extending longitudinally of the body, (indicated at e and f,) said leaves being hinged laterally to the inside of the body of the box, respec tively as indicated at g and h, so as to swing downward and against the two adjacent sides of the body of the box to admit the mail deposited thereupon into the bottom of the box. Each of said leaves is connected by levers t' andy to the ends of the cover, said levers being located at each end of the leaves, the levers being jointedly connected at their lower ends with the leaves and at their upper ends jointedly connected with the cover, the construction being such that when the cover is lifted said leaves will also be lifted into closed position, and when the cover is. closed the leaves will drop down into open position adjacent to the respective sides of the body of the box. It will beperceived that the cover h may always be left unlocked, inasmuch as it will be impossible to extract the mail from the box when the cover is opened on account of the leaves e and f being closed over any mail therebeneath when the cover is opened.

This will save the carrier a good deal of trouble. The bottom c may be provided with any suitable lock, whereby the farmer may get access to the box 5 but the carrier will need no key to deposit material in the box. The rear end of the bottom c when in open position ,is arranged to strike against the depending leaves to limit the oscillation of the bottom. The interiorof the coveris provided with any suitable device 7c to hold outgoing mail, and the interior of the box may beprovided above the leaves with a bracket or suitable device Z, upon which money may be left in payment of postage, if necessary. It will be evident that the inner leaves dropping down against the inside of the box, as described, permit the admission of large packages int-o the box, while the bottom c is also held in desired position when the farmer is taking out his mail. Any suitable signal device m may be provided to be displayed when there is mail to be taken bythe carrier. In the drawings such device is shown pivoted to the box, as indicated at n.

The bottom of the box extends substantially the whole length and width of the box. So, also, the leaves extend` substantially the whole length of the box and when in ele vated position extend across the whole Width thereof. The cover of the box extends over the entire top of the body and when open permits the .insertion of the mail upon the closed leaves.

What I claim as my invention is l. In a mail-box the combination with a body of inner swinging leaves both hinged laterally to the sides of the box and extending substantially the whole inner length of the body, a swinging cover extending over the entire top of the body, levers connecting said leaves with said cover whereby the entire top of the body may be uncovered and the leaves will be opened and closed when the cover is closed and opened, and a bottom extending substantially the whole length and width of the body and. fulcrumed intermediate its ends to the sides of the box intermediate the ends thereof and closing up within IOO end thereof striking against the open leaves said cover provided With means to hold the outgoing mail, said body provided with a coin-holder therewithin above said leaves.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN B. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

KATE BECKER, M. E. WHEELER. 

